|
Andy Scott’s award winning double saxophone concerto Dark Rain will feature in the inaugural European Saxophone Congress in Spain next month. Saxophonists Alfonso Padilla and Juan M Jiminez will perform Dark Rain with the Orquesta De Viento Marcos Redondo conducted by Alfredo García Buendía. The performance will take place at 5.00pm on Saturday 3 May at the Marcos Redondo Music Conservatoire, Ciudad Real. The concert will also include Jacob TV's Tallahatchie Concerto played by Arno Bornkamp, and Sofomania in Senatus by Hugo Correia played by Henrique Portovedo. Dark Rain has proved to be one of Andy Scott’s most powerful and moving works. It was inspired by a visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, where Andy was struck by both the devastation mankind can inflict on itself and the overwhelming quest for peace. The work won the prestigious British Composer Award 2006 in the brass band / wind band category. Dark Rain has proved to be a popular concerto both in the UK and internationally. Last year it was performed in Slovenia, Hong Kong and the United States, and it has previously featured in performances in Australia, the Netherlands and at the World Saxophone Congress in Slovenia in 2006. It can be heard on Rob Buckland’s latest CD Gameshow, available from Sospiro Records, which pairs John Harle and Rob Buckland as soloists with the RNCM Wind Orchestra. Dark Rain is published by Astute Music Click to visit the Sound section to hear an extract from Dark Rain Please click to visit the European Saxophone Congress website 
0 Comments
The world premiere of Andy Scott’s New Music Biennial commission is now only a week away, and promises to be a highly memorable event. The commission, A Child Like You, is the result of an unusual and exciting creative collaboration, featuring some excellent performers – Foden’s Band, soprano/narrator Anna-Clare Monk and harpist Lauren Scott. Andy had worked with the musicians individually in the past and had the inspiration of combining the different sounds in this groundbreaking project. The work will be something of a showcase for the North West, as the composer and performers are all based in Cheshire. A Child Like You will be premiered at the RNCM Theatre in Manchester at 8.00pm on Friday 2 May. The new work will be part of a longer concert by the multi-prizewinning Foden’s Band, including a number of other works by Andy, who has been their composer in residence since 2008. Tickets priced at £15 are available online from the RNCM Box Office or by telephone on 0161 907 5555.http://www.rncm.ac.uk/performance/fodens-band/ A Child Like You poses questions about children who are fostered, adopted or orphaned. It uses poetry written by Lemn Sissay from his children's book The Emperor's Watchmaker, and draws upon the real life experiences of a child refugee who fled Uganda in 1972 and lived with Andy Scott’s own family. Further performances of the new commission will take place in high profile weekend festivals at the Southbank Centre, London on Sunday 6 July and at Glasgow UNESCO City of Music on Saturday 2 August, linked to the city’s hosting of the Commonwealth Games. Click to visit the RNCM website for details of the world premiere performance of A Child Like You Click to view a video introduction to A Child Like You on YouTube Click to visit the Projects section of this website for more information about the New Music Biennial commission Click to visit the PRS for Music Foundation New Music Biennial website  The Apollo Saxophone Quartet launched a new retrospective CD on their tour of South Africa this month, prior to its UK release on 28 April. The recording, entitled Perspectives, features selected works from the quartet’s almost three decade history, all of which were commissioned and premiered by the group. The track list includes previously unrecorded pieces by Keith Tippett, Michael Ball, Dinak Wijeratne, Eddie Parker, Kenny Wheeler and Bob Mintzer. Bob himself joins the quartet as special guest in his quintet New England Autumn. The Apollo Saxophone Quartet comprises founder members Andy Scott on tenor and Rob Buckland on soprano, with Carl Raven on alto and Jim Fieldhouse in the baritone chair. The quartet was formed in 1985 and has commissioned over 100 new works for saxophone quartet and released many critically acclaimed recordings as well as touring extensively in the UK and internationally. Click to view a sampler of the Perspectives CD on YouTube Click to visit the website for the Apollo Saxophone Quartet  Andy Scott and Les Neish will join Maidstone Wind Symphony as guest performers for a concert of Andy Scott works in Sevenoaks this month. The performance will take place at 7.30pm on Saturday 26 April at Sevenoaks School’s Pamoja Hall. The programme will include new works for wind orchestra by Andy Scott including Madiba and Roar!, arranged by Jim Fieldhouse. Andy will join the ensemble as tenor saxophone soloist in Fujiko, and leading tubist Les Neish will perform Andy’s virtuosic tuba concerto Salt of the Earth, arranged for wind orchestra by Urs Bamert, which was composed for and premiered by him in the original brass band version. Inspired by Nelson Mandela, Madiba features a fiery Afro-Cuban groove and infectious melodies, while Roar! is short and punchy with minimalist tendencies and jazzy harmonies. Fujiko evokes a calm, atmospheric mood with a Japanese soundworld, and The Golden Horn is a fast, Turkish flavoured piece. Salt of the Earth juxtaposes funk and folk in the first movement, followed by a Gospel influenced second movement and an explosion of big band Latin Jazz in the third. As a performer, Andy Scott has made regular appearances on the international stage, both as a soloist and with his various creative projects, including the prizewinning Apollo Saxophone Quartet. Les Neish is one of the leading tuba players of his generation, recognised as a soloist, chamber musician and educator throughout the world. Maidstone Wind Symphony is widely regarded as one of the United Kingdom's finest wind orchestras, which under the baton of Jonathan Crowhurst has greatly expanded its repertoire and championed new music for wind orchestra. Maidstone Wind Symphony have also organised a half day improvisation workshop with Andy Scott at the same venue on the morning of the concert. Andy Scott’s works are published by Astute Music Click to view the Andy Scott Saxophonist section of this website Click to visit the website for Les Neish Click to visit the Maidstone Wind Symphony website  Fujiko, Andy Scott’s atmospheric piece, will be premiered in a new version for solo flute and wind band this month. Rachel Smith, principal flautist with the Band of the Coldstream Guards, will give the premiere in the band’s concert at Cadogan Hall on 23 April to celebrate St George's Day. Fujiko was originally composed for nine piece clarinet ensemble, commissioned by the British Clarinet Ensemble. It is a beautifully scored reflective and melancholy piece with a Japanese soundscape. A number of other versions exist, including arrangements for clarinet and piano, Bb saxophone and piano, and brass band. Flautist Rachel Smith has a busy schedule of solo and chamber music appearances at home and abroad but still finds time to freelance with symphony and opera orchestras throughout the UK. During its long and distinguished existence, the Band of Her Majesty’s Coldstream Guards has achieved a worldwide reputation for excellence. All profits from the concert will go to The Soldiers' Charity, The Army Benevolent Fund. Fujiko is published by Astute Music Click to view the event on the Cadogan Hall website Click to visit the website for Rachel Smith  Andy Scott will once again be leading the JazzSmart saxophone weekend workshop in Dorset this month. The popular annual weekend, which this year has a special focus on ensemble playing, will take place at the Coda School of Music in Christchurch on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 April. The course is suitable for saxophone players of all ages with sight reading ability of approximately Grade 4 and above, and aims to improve overall playing and ability, whether in jazz or classical styles. As well as enabling participants to work on their ensemble playing there will be the opportunity to improve solo playing technique. The workshops will cover some of Andy’s compositions and arrangements for saxophone quartet and larger saxophone ensemble. There will also be an evening jam session, providing the chance to try out improvising skills in a friendly, supportive environment. Andy will be joined on the teaching team by local saxophonist and teacher James Rawlinson. Click to visit the website for the JazzSmart course Click to visit the Events section of this website for booking details  Andy Scott’s New Music Biennial commission for Foden’s Band, soprano / narrator Anna-Clare Monk and harpist Lauren Scott will receive its world premiere in Manchester next month. The new work, A Child Like You, will be premiered at the Royal Northern College of Music on 2 May 2014 at the centre of a longer programme of works by Andy that will form the first half of a concert by Foden’s Band. The work poses questions about children who are fostered, adopted or orphaned and draws upon the real life experiences of a child refugee who fled Uganda in 1972 and lived with Andy Scott’s own family. Further performances of the new commission will take place in high profile weekend festivals at the Southbank Centre, London on Sunday 6 July and at Glasgow UNESCO City of Music on Saturday 2 August, linked to the city’s hosting of the Commonwealth Games. Click to visit the RNCM website for details of the world premiere performance of A Child Like You Click to visit the Projects section of this website for more information about the New Music Biennialcommission Click to visit the PRS for Music Foundation New Music Biennial website  Film by Andy Scott was performed by leading baritone horn player Katrina Marzella in Norway recently. The performance with the Tomra Brass Band and Nick Ost took place in Vestnes on 22 March as part of the Tomra Ørskogfjellet Festival 2014, at which Katrina was special guest soloist. Film is an atmospheric Enrico Morricone inspired work, originally composed for the Aquarelle Guitar Quartet and recorded on their CD Dances. This arrangement for brass band with solo baritone was made by Andy’s Apollo Saxophone Quartet colleague Jim Fieldhouse. Multi award winning Katrina Marzella has been hailed as the leading baritone horn player of her generation. Her musical development owes much to the rich brass band heritage she encountered growing up in West Lothian, Scotland. Katrina is currently solo baritone of the world-famous Black Dyke Band. Katrina is also a Yamaha Artist and is currently involved in the development of its new instrument, which will become the Neo baritone horn. The Tomra Ørskogfjellet Festival is a music competition open to amateur bands and school bands held each spring. Tomra Brass Band and Brass Ørskogfjellet take turns to host the event. The festival is open to amateur brass bands, concert bands concert band, school band brass, band and symphonic band generation (brass / symphonic). After the competition there is a festival concert with the awards ceremony. Film is published by Astute Music Click to visit the website for Katrina Marzella Click to visit the website for Tomra Brass Band  The Apollo Saxophone Quartet will be travelling to South Africa for a performance and education tour this month. The tour will run from 7 to 15 April, taking in four concerts in Pretoria, Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. The ensemble will also lead four Saxophone Symposia across the country, coaching and giving masterclasses to young classical and jazz saxophone players from across South Africa. The Apollo Saxophone Quartet will join the Artverk Quartet from The Netherlands and local soloists Matthew Lombard and Karendra Devroop in these saxophone showcase concerts. The programme will feature selected works from the quartet’s almost 30 year history, all of which were commissioned and premiered by the group. This material will also feature on the ensemble’s upcoming CD, Perspectives, which will be launched during the tour. Please keep visiting the News section of this website for further details of the CD next month. The Apollo Saxophone Quartet comprises founder members Andy Scott on tenor and Rob Buckland on soprano, with Carl Raven on alto and Jim Fieldhouse in the baritone chair. The quartet was formed in 1985 and has commissioned over 100 new works for saxophone quartet and released many critically acclaimed recordings. The Apollo Saxophone Quartet has performed in many different countries over the years, including eight tours to Japan, but this is the first time that the ensemble has toured to South Africa. Click to visit the Events section of this website for further details of performances Click to visit the website for the Apollo Saxophone Quartet  Dark Rain, Andy Scott’s award winning concerto for two saxophones and wind orchestra, will receive a performance at Manchester’s renowned Chetham’s School of Music this month. Young saxophonists Nicholas Seymour and Jessica Martin will perform Dark Rain with Chetham’s Wind Orchestra at the school’s Whiteley Hall in an afternoon concert on Saturday 5 April at 3.00pm. Dark Rain was inspired by a visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, where Andy was struck by both the devastation that mankind can inflict on itself and the overwhelming quest for peace, a combination that makes for a powerful and moving piece. The work won the prestigious British Composer Award 2006 in the brass band / wind band category. The concerto has proved a popular concert choice and has been performed in Australia, the Netherlands and at the World Saxophone Congress in Slovenia in 2006 as well as several times in the UK. It has recently been recorded by Rob Buckland and John Harle with the RNCM Wind Orchestra on the CD Gameshow, available from Sospiro Records. Click to view event details on the Chetham’s School of Music website Dark Rain is published by Astute Music Click to hear an extract from Dark Rain in the Sound section of this website Click to visit the Sospiro Records website  |